After a terrific weekend of back-and-forth golf, the 90th edition of The Masters tournament has come to an end, and a champion has been named: Northern Irish golfer and 2025 champion Rory McIlroy. Fans from around the world enjoyed watching fantastic golf, with the race to first place coming down to the last shot.
Before the event started, the Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, Fred Ridley, prefaced the spectacular nature of the tournament in the opening remarks.
“The best golf has to offer is on center stage,” Ridley said. “That is good for everyone, certainly players, but also our partners, volunteers, the Augusta community, and its many local charities, and especially our patrons and fans around the world.”
The storylines started on Thursday, where many top names finished amongst the top of the leaderboard. Last year’s champion, Rory McIlroy, finished the opening round with a share of first place, shooting five under par along with Sam Burns. Other household names like Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Reed, Justin Rose and Xander Schauffele finished the first day in the top 10.
Despite the stellar play from many, most of the field struggled on Day 1 as they became acquainted with the conditions of Augusta National. Only 16 golfers finished under par on the first day, showing the pressure this event places on elite players. One big story from the first day was the struggles by members of the LIV Golf league, with great players like Jon Rahm shooting six over par. Fellow LIV player Bryson DeChambeau failed to make the cut for the weekend, a shocking result for a golfer who was in the final pairing at the Masters just a year ago.
However, it was clear that many of the nerves players faced the first day settled down the second day. McIlroy, facing significantly less pressure this year, asserted his dominance, finishing the second day with a cumulative score of 12 under and a six-stroke lead. Other top players made significant improvements, including the recent Player’s champion and Wake Forest alumnus Cameron Young, who shot five under on day two after posting one over par the previous day. English golfer Tyrell Hatton also accomplished a rare feat, hitting all 18 greens in regulation, becoming just the third player in the last 30 years to do this at Augusta.
While many players were able to bounce back after tough starts, others did not have that same fortune. Young players with lots of promise, like Akshay Bhatia and Robert MacIntyre, failed to make the cut in Augusta. Past Masters champions like Bubba Watson, Fred Couples and Vijay Singh also struggled, showing their age in such an intense competition.
Before the third day rolled around, it seemed that Rory was in complete control. This narrative completely flipped, however, after McIlroy shot one over par and opened the door for others to catch up to him. Among them was the former Demon Deacon Young, who shot seven under and was tied with McIlroy for the lead at the end of the day. Scottie Scheffeler followed suit, also shooting seven under after struggling during Day 2. Other players like Shane Lowry and Jason Day followed closely behind the leading McIlroy and Young.
Following the switch-up on Day 2, the last round on Sunday felt more intense than anyone could have imagined, with the lead held by four different players at various points. Most of the top players struggled during the final day, giving up makeable putts and mishitting drives. With McIlroy and Young struggling during the first nine, Justin Rose briefly held sole possession of the lead, making it seem that the 45-year-old would finally get his first Masters win. However, after bogeying holes 11 and 12, Rose quickly relinquished his lead and would not gain it back.
McIlroy’s struggles on Saturday and during the first nine holes on Sunday made it seem as though he was bound to choke. While facing much pressure and adversity, McIlroy played a near-perfect back nine, securing his second green jacket and making history as just the fourth player ever to win the Masters in back-to-back years. He joins Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods as the only players to achieve this feat.
Rory’s win is a story of determination and hard work. It took him over a decade of playing in the Masters. He spent so much time practicing and even traveled to Augusta several times leading up to the tournament to acquaint himself with the course as much as possible. His hard work culminated in his first Masters’ win last year, and he shone even brighter after his second win, placing himself in elite company among the best golfers of all time.
“It took me 10 years to win my fifth major, and then my sixth one’s come pretty soon after it,” McIlroy said. “I’m not putting a number on it, but I certainly don’t want to stop here.”
This year’s Masters had amazing storylines and a truly fantastic finish. Many players will try to build on their great performances and create names for themselves in future tournaments. Others will try to revamp their games and see what works. However, the one thing that everyone will be thinking about is how to prepare for Augusta next year.
